The Industry Does Not Own Us: www.rainbowhealth.org • 612.206.3180

The Industry Does Not Own Us:
A Guide to Influencing Private Policy
www.rainbowhealth.org • 612.206.3180
Table of Contents
About the guide:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Tobacco-free policies make sense for LGBTQ communities. . . . . . 2
Tobacco prevalence in MN LGBTQ communities. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
What links the LGBTQ community and the tobacco Industry?. . . . 2
Breaking the link: Developing tobacco-free policies. . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Case study: Policy Development with Twin Cities Pride. . . . . . . . . 8
Next Steps: Enforcing Policies and thanking supporters . . . . . . . 10
Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
About the Guide
The purpose of this guide is to help health professionals, advocates and organizers change the norms of
tobacco use and tobacco sponsorship within LGBTQ-serving organizations, businesses and events.
This guide was modeled after the “Smoke Free Outdoor Events Toolkit” released in 2006 by the California LGBTQ
Tobacco Education Partnership (LGBT Partnership), a program funded by the California Department of Public
Health/Tobacco Control Section (CDPH/TCS), through the Tobacco Tax Health Protection Act of 1988.
The Industry Does Not Own Us was written by Ani Ryan Koch and Deb LeMay, staff at Rainbow Health Initiative
(RHI) and former fellows with the LAAMPP Institute. Rainbow Health Initiative works to advance the health and
wellness of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ) communities through research, education, and
advocacy. Rainbow Health Initiative is a statewide organization with offices located in Minneapolis, MN. LAAMPP
(Leadership and Advocacy Institute for Advancing MN’s Parity for Priority Populations) is a year long program that
builds the capacity of community leaders and advocates to help reduce tobacco use in communities that have been
disproportionately harmed by commercial tobacco.
Acknowledgments:
Special thanks to Bob Gordon and the California LGBTQ Tobacco Education Partnership for allowing us to represent such valuable information from the original tool-kit. Thank you to Tiffany V. Paulson and Sheila Nezhad for
additional contributions to the guide. Funding for this project was provided by the Center for Prevention at Blue
Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota. Finally, thank you to the founders, trainers, fellows, and coaches of LAAMPP for
investing in communities and building our collective power.
Definitions:
For the purposes of this guide, the word ‘community’ includes lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer youth
and adults, as well as the children of LGBTQ adults.
Within this guide, ‘toolkit’ refers to the Smoke Free Outdoor Events Toolkit released in 2006 by the California LGBT
Tobacco Education Partnership.
Suggested APA Citation:
Rainbow Health Initiative. (2013). The Industry does not own us: A guide to influencing private policy.
Minneapolis, MN.
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THE INDUSTRY DOES NOT OWN US: A GUIDE TO INFLUENCING PRIVATE POLICY
TobaCCo-fRee PoliCies MaKe sense foR lGbTQ CoMMuniTies
• Tobacco-free policies help break the connection between tobacco and the lGbTQ community. For years the
tobacco industry has targeted our communities by sponsoring events and advertising directly to us . Through this
marketing, the tobacco industry is falsely seen as an ally to LGBTQ communities .
• Tobacco-free policies promote the development of positive community role models and protect the
health, safety, and welfare of community members. Often tobacco use is framed as being based on individual
decisions with individual consequences . Policies enable leaders to show that tobacco use is the result of targeting
and discrimination against the entire community and that tobacco-free policies help make our entire community
stronger .
• Tobacco-free policies help change community norms. Norms are beliefs held by social groups about what
are desirable or acceptable attitudes and behaviors . Children and young people often mirror what they see in
their community . As a community norm, tobacco use provides a model for our youth to “gain admission” to
the LGBTQ community . Tobacco-free policies establish a new community norm: tobacco use is not a desirable
behavior for young people or adults within the LGBTQ community .
• secondhand smoke harms everyone. Secondhand smoke is a human carcinogen for which there is no safe level
of exposure . Exposure to secondhand smoke has immediate health consequences such as asthma attacks and/or
other respiratory diseases .
• Cigarette litter is dangerous. Discarded cigarettes pollute the land and water . If discarded cigarettes are
ingested by toddlers, pets, birds or fish they can cause serious illness.1
• Most Minnesotans support tobacco-free park and recreation policies. A 2004 University of Minnesota survey
found that 70% of Minnesota residents support tobacco-free park and recreation areas.2
• Tobacco-free policies reduce litter and maintenance costs. In the same study, 58% of Minnesota park directors
in cities with policies reported cleaner park areas .2
TobaCCo PReValenCe in Mn lGbTQ CoMMuniTies
In 2012, Rainbow Health Initiative conducted a survey of the health of 1,144 LGBTQ people in Minnesota.
“The results showed an alarmingly high rate of tobacco use among LGBTQ respondents...48.5% (n = 531) of
LGBTQ respondents are “ever-smokers,” meaning they have smoked at least 100 cigarettes (five packs) in their
lifetime…30.8% (n = 352) of respondents currently smoke every day or some days per week. According to the 2010
Minnesota Adult Tobacco Survey, 16.1% of adult Minnesotans smoke every day or some days. This means that
lGbTQ respondents smoke at nearly twice the rate of the general population.”3
34.6%
Lesbian
Bisexual
Queer
36.9%
29.7%
26.8%
24.8%
Gay
36.5%
34.3%
Other
lGbTQ Respondents’ Rates of smoking by sexual orientation
Cisgender
Transgender
lGbTQ Respondents’ Rates of smoking by
Gender identity
1 Centers for Disease Control. (1997). Ingestion of Cigarettes and Cigarette Butts by Children – Rhode Island, January 1994-July 1996. Retrieved from
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/00046181.htm
2 University of Minnesota, Schools of Public Health and Kinesiology. (2004). Tobacco-free parks and recreation study: Summary of findings. Retrieved from
http://www .tobaccofreeparks .org/documents/Park_Study_Factsheet .pdf
3 Rainbow Health Initiative. (2013). Voices of health: A survey of LGBTQ health in Minnesota. Minneapolis, MN.
THE INDUSTRY DOES NOT OWN US: A GUIDE TO INFLUENCING PRIVATE POLICY
3
WHAT LINKS THE LGBTQ COMMUNITY AND THE TOBACCO INDUSTRY?
In recent years, lesbian, gay, bisexual,
transgender and queer communities have
grown in visibility and influence. Although
a significant amount of progress has been
made in addressing the needs of the LGBTQ
communities, funding to support this advocacy
work is limited.
In a quest to portray itself as a communityminded, charitable entity, the tobacco
industry has used its profits to fund LGBTQ
organizations and events. Tobacco companies
offer funding in exchange for visibility at
special events.
Tobacco Counter Advertisement by
Tiffany V. Paulson, Rainbow Health Initiative.
Original Ad released by California LGBT
Tobacco Education Partnership.
BREAKING THE LINK: DEVELOPING TOBACCO-FREE POLICIES
Tobacco-free event and organization policies have a domino effect. At tobacco-free events, adults see tobaccofree signs, notice that other people aren’t smoking, refrain from smoking and thus reduce everyone’s exposure
to secondhand smoke. Additionally, because they don’t see people smoking, children and LGBTQ youth don’t
associate smoking with LGBTQ events. Tobacco-free organization and sponsorship policies enable community
leaders to take a stance against corporate tobacco. Not only are these leaders and organizations seen as
healthy community role models, their policy decision leads to less direct and indirect tobacco marketing to our
communities.
This section of the guide offers some step-by-step tips to advocate for tobacco-free policies. However, please
remember that every opportunity is different and it’s important to be flexible and modify the tools based on each
situation.
GETTING PREPARED:
• Identify the organizations or events where you would like to create change. Before you approach the staff,
volunteers or other decision makers, do some preparation. Gather information about the organizations, any
existing support for tobacco control, and recruit allies.
• G
et to know the decision makers. It is likely that an event committee or an organization’s leadership will at least
be willing to meet with you. Find out what matters to them, and develop a strategy to build a relationship with
these decision makers.
• F
amiliarize yourself with recent tobacco control research. Some resources are listed at the end of this guide.
• P
repare your personal story. Why do you care about this issue? Why does this matter? Have you been involved in
this kind of work before? Have you lost a family member or friend to tobacco-related disease?
• T
obacco use can be a sensitive topic. Try to think of responses to challenging questions such as, “If you ban
tobacco, what are you going to ban next, cheese?” Or “Why don’t you work with the bars, they need the help,
not us!” Or, “What about alcohol, I don’t see you caring about that.” Chances are, you will face people who won’t
understand why tobacco policy is important, so it is helpful to think of some responses ahead of time.
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THE INDUSTRY DOES NOT OWN US: A GUIDE TO INFLUENCING PRIVATE POLICY
WHERE TO START
As a policy advocate, your goal is to work in your community’s best interest. In this case, by creating healthier
environments through tobacco control. But how does your community feel about your advocacy goals? Will they
rally behind you? Have they considered the issues?
Before you begin advocating for tobacco-free policies, it’s important to assess your community’s level of support.
You can assess community support…
…among your friends and colleagues
Start by talking to people. Ask LGBTQ friends and colleagues, “What do you think about a tobacco-free space?”
“Do you think LGBTQ events should take money from big tobacco companies?” Bring some paper and a pen.
Take notes.
…by talking to other advocates
As an activist it is important to recognize the work that others have done before us. History can help inform your
project and make it more efficient! Find out if there are advocates or organizations that have done similar work.
Check in with health and LGBTQ organizations to gauge the interest in tobacco control.
…during a community listening session
Ask others who share your interest in policy change to partner with you to host a community listening session.
Prepare questions ahead of time and gather community members to discuss their perceptions of tobacco control.
You may want to ask about community priorities and attitudes, willingness to address tobacco control, and what
resources are available.
…through social and traditional media:
An easy way to ‘test the waters’ may be to share tobacco related articles and blogs and ask people to reply with
their opinions on the topic. You can also write opinion pieces, letters to the editor, or start a media campaign.
…by surveying the Community:
Every year, Rainbow Health Initiative conducts a health assessment of LGBTQ people in MN to inform and support
our work. This survey started as a tobacco-specific questionnaire and grew into a much larger health assessment.
If a full-scale health assessment isn’t possible, you can create a small 2-5-question survey specific to tobacco control.
Ask stakeholders, community members, and event participants to weigh in about tobacco-free policies.
Some questions you could ask are:
a. Would you support a law that would make all of your city’s parks smoke-free?
b. Do you think Pride Celebrations should be smoke free?
c. Do you smoke?
d. Do you think the tobacco industry has been a friend to the LGBTQ communities?
e. Do you think LGBTQ people smoke more than the general population?
f. Do you think it’s okay for LGBTQ organizations/events to accept sponsorship money from tobacco companies?
g. Do you think it’s okay for LGBTQ bars and nightclubs to accept sponsorship money from tobacco companies?
h. Do you think there is too little emphasis on smoking as a health issue in the LGBTQ community?
(Questions a-c are from the “Smoke Free Outdoor Events Toolkit.” Questions d-h are based on questions asked in
RHI’s Voices of Health survey.)
THE INDUSTRY DOES NOT OWN US: A GUIDE TO INFLUENCING PRIVATE POLICY 5
GETTING YOUR MESSAGE ACROSS: EFFECTIVE WAYS TO TALK ABOUT
TOBACCO-FREE POLICIES
While one of the more obvious messages for advancing tobacco-free policies is the serious health issues related to
tobacco use, the following messages that may also be effective:
Independence and Freedom: Some tobacco users – and even some people who are not tobacco users– consider
tobacco use to be a sign of independence and freedom. They may bristle at the thought of not being able to
light up whenever and wherever they choose. The tobacco industry has championed this idea in its marketing
approaches to LGBTQ people. Tobacco ads have even been created to equate the freedom to smoke with the gay
community’s quest for the freedom to marry.
This isn’t new, others have taken a stand: Just as proposals to limit secondhand smoke in airplanes, restaurants
and bars were initially met with opposition, your proposal to ban tobacco use at events or within your organization
may also face opposition. History has shown that opposition has been overcome by the fact that long-term
exposure to secondhand smoke is deadly.
Tobacco is a pollutant: Tobacco use pollutes more than air – it hurts our environment, too. Cigarette butts are the
most common type of litter in the U.S.4 After events, streets and park areas are awash in butts, crumbled cigarette
packs and other tobacco-related litter. These butts can be carried through the drains to streams, rivers, and
beaches, where they can harm wildlife. An environmental message can help you identify other allies for your work.
Identify organizations that are focused on zero waste, creating green spaces and recycling. You may be able to work
together.
Your idea of a tobacco-free policy represents a radical change to the status quo of allowing smoking anywhere
and everywhere. Congratulations on thinking big! Now be patient, think strategically and keep it positive and
nonjudgmental.
TAKING YOUR MESSAGE TO THE RIGHT PEOPLE
Once you have an idea of an organization or event you want to work with to develop a policy and are versed in
some persuasive arguments for tobacco control, you need to determine to whom you should bring your message.
Relationship Building: Building relationships is central to the policy development process. Relationship building can
be thought of as being made up of four parts:
• A
ssessing decision makers: Who is supportive? Who has
the power to make policy changes?
Access
Decision
Makers
Make the
Ask
Relationship
Building
Rally
Support
• P
resenting information: Share tobacco control research
and community support for tobacco control
Present
Info
• R
ally support: Bring together allies, other advocates and
organizations to support this policy. Potential allies may
include businesses that have tables at Pride festivals,
board and staff members of LGBTQ organizations,
donors, or volunteers. You may also find allies in health,
environmental and social justice organizations. Hit the
streets. Make connections. Be clear about your goals.
• M
ake the “ask”: Based on evidence, community opinion,
and community support, propose developing a tobaccofree policy.
4 L egacy. (2012). Rethink butts:A toolkit to help raise awareness of the environmental impact of cigarettes. Washington, DC. Retrieved from: http://www.
legacyforhealth.org/content/download/2436/32011/version/1/file/LEG-Cigarettes+and+the+Environment+Toolkit-English-3.15.13.pdf
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THE INDUSTRY DOES NOT OWN US: A GUIDE TO INFLUENCING PRIVATE POLICY
Mapping: Asset mapping will help you focus your efforts. It will also help a group develop a shared vision and
priorities for the work ahead.
Sit down with a team of people who are familiar with the organization or policy on which you want to work. Talk
about: “What change do we want to make?” “Who are the decision makers?” “Who supports us?” “What is the
timeline for this decision?” “What are the goals of the group?” Make a list!
High
Decision Making Power
Low
High
Support Level
Low
Using sticky notes and a graph like the one above, write down names of individuals, organizations, decision makers,
and stakeholders who may be interested in or affected by the proposed policy. Based on the perceptions of the
group, decide where these individuals fall on the graph. People who fall in the ‘ high support’ and ‘high decision
making power’ quadrants are the folks you want to connect with right away to help the team strategize. These are
the people who will be huge assets to your policy development effort.
If people fall more in the ‘low support’, ‘low decision making power’ quadrant, it is less important to focus your
energy on working with them. As with any political issue, focus on supportive people who can help influence the
decision makers and undecided people. There will always be opponents, but don’t let them stop you from making
the change you want to make! Keep the tone positive.
Once you have identified strong supporters, ask them for an informal meeting to get to know them. It is best for
people in the group who have existing relationships to make initial contact. If no one in the group has connections
see if anyone in your broader networks has a connection. Ask them to introduce you.
The Cold Call: It is fine to ‘cold call’ a decision maker—contacting them without any introduction—but
it can be harder to get meetings this way. If you cold call, explain the mission of your group; suggest an
opportunity for a potential community partnership. Then say something like “I would love the opportunity to
share information with you about a project I am working on and how it could potentially fit with your event,
organization, etc. Would you be able to join me for a brief meeting?”
THE INDUSTRY DOES NOT OWN US: A GUIDE TO INFLUENCING PRIVATE POLICY 7
Sometimes people do not want to meet with you—especially about tobacco. Let’s face it, not everyone shares our
passion for tobacco-control and healthy LGBTQ communities. If decision makers are not willing to meet with you or
work with you, be patient and consider trying some of the following ideas:
• S
tart a letter writing campaign. Make a sample for constituents to follow. Outline the problem, present a solution,
and develop a strong message about your group’s priorities.
• G
ather letters of support from respected community leaders. This is similar to a letter writing campaign, but this
can take the form of a petition or a focused “ask” letter to specific people.
• S
end a letter to the editor of your local paper. The word limit for this is usually 200 words. Be concise! If you can,
tell a personal story about why you care about tobacco-free spaces and/or sponsorship. Tip: Make it social justice
oriented, this has proven to energize LGBTQ communities more than health and environmental arguments.
• Write a news release and send it to your local media, include both LGBTQ media and mainstream papers.
• W
hen communicating your point, you may want to reference existing laws about “Tobacco-free Spaces.” For
Minnesota-specific information, contact the organizations listed in the resource section of this guide.
DRAFTING A POLICY
Once you have had conversations with decision makers to convince them of the importance of tobacco-free
policies, you can support the organization or event during the development of the actual policy content. Here is an
example of what a tobacco-free policy may look like:
Policy on Tobacco Use and Tobacco Industry Sponsorship
Insert organization mission here______
_____ [Organization] is dedicated to creating a healthy environment for LGBTQ communities. We understand that
tobacco products are the #1 killer of people in our communities. It is with this in mind that we put forth this written
policy in regards to tobacco use and tobacco industry sponsorship of [Organization]_______________.
We will not at any time take donations and/or sponsorship dollars for any reason from an organization or company
whose primary (more than 50% of gross product) business is the production, manufacturing, sales or distribution of
tobacco products.
• W
e will not allow any agency or organization to distribute free samples of tobacco products and/or coupons for
tobacco products (at events, in facilities, etc.)
• W
e will allow absolutely no advertisement for tobacco products on the grounds of any ________________
(facilities or events).
• W
e will provide a tobacco-free (facility, event) __________to accommodate all of our communities; including those
with small children, individuals who have respiratory illnesses, those with allergies, and/or those who are sensitive
to tobacco smoke.
• R
esidents, staff and visitors are asked to comply with this policy by keeping the facility 100% tobacco-free
including common areas and private rooms. Anyone using tobacco outside and off of the grounds is asked to
comply with existing state legislation.
This policy was created with the assistance of [Your organization] ______________.
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THE INDUSTRY DOES NOT OWN US: A GUIDE TO INFLUENCING PRIVATE POLICY
CASE STUDY: POLICY DEVELOPMENT WITH TWIN CITIES PRIDE
Policy development takes time. Don’t be discouraged if you don’t come away with a policy after just a few
conversations. Rainbow Health Initiative spent four years working towards a tobacco-free sponsorship policy with
Twin Cities Pride. Here is that story:
The Twin Cities Pride Festival (TCP) creates events that are open and inviting to everyone in the community,
providing a safe environment in which individuals feel free to celebrate their relationships. TCP, located in the heart
of Minneapolis in Loring Park, is arguably the largest free pride festival in the country. Pride event planners estimate
that it serves 200,000-400,000 people per year.
Due to its size, this festival has received significant attention from corporate tobacco. Each year, TCP is offered
thousands of dollars in the form of corporate tobacco sponsorships. An important piece of this story is that TCP has
not accepted these massive sponsorship dollars over the past 5 years! According to former TCP Executive Director
Cheryl Maloney, “We (TCP) always had a verbal policy, an agreement among staff and board, that we wouldn’t take
their money.”
Rainbow Health Initiative (RHI) has a history of addressing tobacco-related health disparities in LGBTQ communities.
Milestone: RHI’s involvement with TCP expanded in 2008 when RHI’s Executive Director asked TCP to partner with
us on a Health and Wellness area of the park, now known as the “Living Well Park.” Beginning with the Health and
Wellness area and followed by the Children and Family, Power to the People, and Teen Scene, each year more and
more of TCP went tobacco-free with encouragement from RHI and partner organizations.
Milestone: In 2010 the Minneapolis Park Board passed a Tobacco-Free Parks Policy. This policy was passed thanks
to the work of Tobacco-Free Youth Recreation (TFYR), a program of the Association for Nonsmokers-Minnesota. This
policy went into effect in July 2010, just missing the 2010 Pride Festival. RHI co-hosted a “Tobacco-free Outdoor
Events” training in fall of 2010, which was attended by decision makers from two key Pride Festivals. This helped to
start conversations about tobacco in our communities and policy opportunities. It also offered space for people to
discuss potential challenges associated with the Park Board policy. Because it is held in a park with a tobacco-free
policy, in 2011 TCP was officially deemed a tobacco-free event. RHI staff helped to implement the Park Policy by
providing “tobacco-free event” signs for TCP’s use. Still, there was no official TCP policy about accepting tobacco
sponsorship for the event.
In March 2012, RHI asked to attend a TCP board meeting to make a presentation on the importance of a “Tobaccofree Sponsorship Policy” for an event like theirs. RHI staff was given fifteen minutes on the March board meeting
agenda. The presentation covered the health effects of secondhand smoke, tobacco-related health disparities
experienced by LGBTQ communities and communities of color, as well as tobacco industry targeting specific
to the Twin Cities. Staff concluded by offering a “sample policy” that could be used as a starting point for the
development of a festival policy. Staff also passed around a binder filled with every policy that other Twin Cities
events, organizations and small businesses had developed with RHI’s assistance. The presentation was well received
with no rebuttals. The board president agreed to draft a policy for the full board to review and present for a vote.
Milestone: On April 16, 2012 the TCP Board voted to adopt a “Tobacco-free Sponsorship Policy.” This was a huge
win for tobacco control, LGBTQ communities, RHI, and partner organizations. The policy will have long-term impact
on the health of the LGBTQ communities!
It is important that Twin Cities Pride knows that there are people out there cheering them on. To thank the Twin
Cities Pride Board for approving this landmark policy, please send a thank you letter to:
Dot Belstler and the Board of Directors
Twin Cities Pride
2021 East Hennepin, Suite 460
Minneapolis, MN 55413
Comment on their Facebook page: www.facebook.com/tcpride
THE INDUSTRY DOES NOT OWN US: A GUIDE TO INFLUENCING PRIVATE POLICY 9
Twin Cities Pride Policy:
TOBACCO SPONSORSHIP POLICY
PURPOSE:
To define Twin Cities Pride’s position as it related to Tobacco sponsorships and the marketing of Tobacco products
at Twin Cities Pride produced events.
SECTION: POLICY LANGUAGE
The Board of Twin Cities Pride recognizes the harm caused by corporate tobacco and its disproportionate effect on
the greater GLBT community. Therefore, Twin Cities Pride will not knowingly accept direct funding from tobacco
manufacturers or distributors. Twin Cities Pride will not sponsor, co-sponsor, or be a beneficiary of any event that
accepts primary or sole sponsorship from tobacco manufacturers or distributors.
Twin Cities Pride will not distribute or display fliers, posters, signs, banners, dispensers, programs, activities or
apparel bearing the name or logo of a tobacco product manufacturer at any Twin Cities Pride produced event or in
any Twin Cities Pride communications medium.
For the sake of this policy, tobacco manufacturers are companies whose principal business (more than 50% of
corporate income) is tobacco products. Twin Cities Pride does not seek to prohibit the ceremonial use of tobacco as
followed in some cultural traditions such as Native American ceremonies.
This policy was developed with assistance from the Rainbow Health Initiative.
NEXT STEPS: ENFORCING POLICIES AND THANKING SUPPORTERS
Getting policies in place is the first step in addressing the health disparities experienced by the LGBTQ
communities. After policies are in place, it is crucial that community members and stakeholders are involved in the
implementation and enforcement of these policies.
Enforcing tobacco-control policies can be a complicated process. Who is responsible for enforcement? For
example, is it the responsibility of the Park Board who mandated “no smoking at events”? Or, is it the responsibility
of each vendor who has reserved a space in a tobacco-free park? Who will communicate the new policy and how
will they communicate its importance? Work with other advocates, supporters, and stakeholders to identify ways to
encourage policy enforcement.
Finally, it is crucial to thank the organizations, individuals, and businesses that have dedicated themselves to
improving the health of the LGBTQ communities through tobacco-free policies. Acknowledging their work allows
these leaders to be seen as role models for other events and organizations. You can thank leaders by writing letters,
by publishing their policies in local papers, or by organizing a thanking campaign on social media.
Advocacy work takes time, energy, and may sometimes require small steps in order to achieve the overall goal of
creating tobacco-free spaces and sponsorship policies. You will most likely be met with skepticism and perhaps
even anger. Be strong. Be patient. This work will result in improved health in the LGBTQ community as well as the
broader community. Good luck. And, if you need support or assistance, please contact Rainbow Health Initiative.
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THE INDUSTRY DOES NOT OWN US: A GUIDE TO INFLUENCING PRIVATE POLICY
RESOURCES
Association for Non Smokers of MN (ANSRMN)
Information on tobacco policy, tobacco-free housing, and tobacco-free parks
www.ansrmn.org/
California LGBT Tobacco Education Partnership
Provides tobacco control advocacy for the LGBTQ community.
www.lgbtpartnership.org
LGBT Tobacco Control
lgbttobacco.org/
Midwest Academy
Strategy Chart (www.midwestacademy.com) a tool that helps advocates work for social change.
National Network for LGBT Health Equity
lgbthealthequity.wordpress.com/
Rainbow Health Initative
www.rainbowhealth.org
612.206.3180
Technical Assistance Legal Center (TALC)
This group offers legal advice and assistance with writing policies on tobacco control issues.
www.phi.org/talc
Tobacco Education Clearinghouse of California
www.tecc.org
www.TobaccoFreeCatalog.org
MN Pride Celebrations that have Tobacco-free Policies:
Tobacco-free Event and Sponsorship:
Twin Cities Black Pride Twin Cities, MN
South Central MN Pride in Mankato, MN
East Central MN Pride, Pine City, MN
St. Cloud Pride Festival, St. Cloud, MN
Tobacco-free Sponsorship:
Twin Cities Pride Festival, Minneapolis, MN
THE INDUSTRY DOES NOT OWN US: A GUIDE TO INFLUENCING PRIVATE POLICY 11
www.rainbowhealth.org
[email protected]
612.206.3180